Well, we are at home and things are going good so far.  This is a busy weekend for us as a family.  Our son Russ is getting married tomorrow afternoon and that’s what makes these next couple of days special for our family.  The doctors were very understanding and wanted in every way to help us get home.  They decided to not do another wash out at this time.  Although it is obvious that her head still has infection we all are hopeful that the antibiotics will take care of it and she will avoid them having to go back in again.  She is on two antibiotics that we have to administer by her picc-line every twelve hours.  One of them takes about 30 minutes to go in and the other a little over an hour.  But, if it works the time and the five weeks that we will have to do this is nothing compared to having her scalp layed open, washed out, sown up and drainage for a week, then five weeks of antibiotics.  We are grateful for all of the prayers, support and ministering that we have received through all of this.  I’m use to giving of myself and not having to rely on others to do things for us.  We have been blessed by friends, opening up their home to us, members  planning and taking care of all of the  rehearsal dinner plans, not to mentions the hundreds and may even be thousands who have been praying all over the world for Rosa at this time.  It go to show that being a believer is the most blessed life in all of the world.  I also want to say that our families in Tennessee, Alabama and Florida have all shown love and support during all of this.  We love you all and although we don’t know for sure how all of this is going to turn out yet, God does and we are simply putting it all into His hands. Thanks again for your  prayers and keep them lifted up till Rosa is clear of the infection and is healed.

Rosa is back in the hospital again and the infection is still in her head.  The doctor is scratching his head on this one and wants answers from the infectious disease doctors on what is the answer.  He has already said that he has never had to go back into a person’s head twice after the initial surgery and a third time would be unheard of. 

It’s been difficult for us each time to have to go through this but this week is especially hard because it is Russ’ wedding week.  He is to be married on Saturday and we thought until now, no problem. With all the other times, there was a window of opportunity for her to recover and be there.  But this time, we are not so sure.  If they have to do surgery again in the morning or later, then it’s most likely that she want make it.  We are praying now for a miracle in that God would deal with this thing tonight by either healing it or giving the doctors insight and wisdom into something different that would work. We don’t know what that would be, but if it’s possible then God knows about it and can reveal it.  Either way, we are at His mercy and trusting that no matter what, He will get the glory. 

A nephew shared this passage with us recently and we are claiming it now.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong”.

We take comfort in knowing that God is in control.

Rosa is home, her headaches are some better and still struggles with fatigue.  A home health nurse comes tomorrow and we have some questions to ask her as well as call the Surgeon’s nurse and ask her also.  The questions are regarding some drainage she had on Friday night and puffiness that is where the other problems have originated.  Therefore, you all can continue to pray that the bacteria has been taken care of by the antibiotics and the infection is clearing up.  Pray that her energy level will increase and that she can get plenty of rest.

Rosa is stronger today after that exhausting day of surgery and recovery.  Last night I went to stay with Phil and Kathy Qualls of Apex.  Phil is Senior Pastor of Apex Baptist Church.  I told Rosa when I got in the bed that I crashed and didn’t have any trouble sleeping.  Just knowing that the care she is receiving here at Duke I didn’t have to worry about that.  Then, this morning I attended Church there and it was great to be refreshed in worship of Our God and His glorious Son.  Phil’s message was taken from the passage in Luke’s gospel about the Lepers and the point that he made of the one who returned to give thanks is what stood out most to me.  He said that we often fail to take advantage of the one moment that God may give us  to do something significant and worthy of a life in Christ, because we to caught up in the things of this world. And that, we want the  approval of the world more than we do blessings God can and will give us.  A “moment” so precious and filled with such goodness that we had rather miss it, because we are too afraid of what the world may think or say, or, not feel as though we fit in.  What a tragedy!

What I know is that I don’t want to miss even the moment that God may be showing Rosa and I what His divine purpose is in all that we are going through right now.  As hard as it has been, is right now, and even could be, for I look around me here in this hospital and see those who are in a lot worst shape than we are, and know that but for His grace and mercy, we haven’t been there.  Not yet any way and can only hope and pray that we don’t have to go there before we arrive at the place He is taking us.

God is Mighty and He is in Control. Amen.  Roy

First of all let me thank all of you who prayed for us today.  Rosa went through the surgery very well. I am proud of how she has taken all of this. With much Faith in the Lord and His will be done.  We both know that without our Faith and how much that God loves us, we wouldn’t have fared through this quite as well.  They were a lot more aggressive is trying to get at the root of the infection this time, although, Dr. Friedman says that it shouldn’t be doing all that it’s done because it’s just not that bad of a bacteria.  But they washed the surgery site out again and this time put in an irrigation system with antibiotics flowing through her head and being pumped out the other side.  Then she is on two other antibiotics by IV.  This will go on for the next five days.
So all we can do is continue to pray and give it all to God’s great plan and purpose of mercy and grace for Rosa.  Again thank you all for praying for us and we love you all.

Rosa will have a heplock put in sometime today.  She will have to be on antibiotics for six weeks at home. The reason is that there are bacteria growing where she had the surgery and that comes as a result of her immune system being very low.   I’m learning that you can teach an old preacher new tricks.  From shots in the stomach to B-12 shots in the arm and now this.  What next.?  Therefore, pray that the antibiotics kill the bacteria and fight off any other infections that she may be faced with.  Being in a hospital when you are sick is bad, but to come out with something else to have to deal with is bad too.  Rosa’ faith remains strong and we know that our God is in control.

Rosa remains in the recovery but that has not been a bad thing. She has received one on one care and they have been very good to her. Of course, who could not be good to sweet Mrs. Rosa. We are not sure when she will go to a room and what area that will be in. We expect that it will be a step down room from here and we are not sure how long she will be here. What we do know is that the infection is bacteria and is multiple in its form. So they are giving her more specific antibiotics to help fight it. She also has a drainage tube attached to her head. We will keep you all informed as much as possible and continue to need you prayers. We ask that there be no visitors except for immediate family until we know that she is out of risk of further infection. Thanks for understanding and we love you all.

I just talked with Dr. Friedman at 7:10 P.M. and he was finished.  He said, and I qoute, ”It wasn’t as bad as it looked,” end qoute.  She will be in Intensive Care over night and then we go from there.  Thanks for all the prayers and support that just keeps on. Love to all of our, family, church family and friends.

I don’t mean not to keep everyone who wishes to know uninformed, but the truth is, we haven’t heard anything yet today as to when they will take Rosa back. This was one of those things that you could only hope wouldn’t happen, but it did. Infections do happen and the one good thing about this one is that it hasn’t grown any serious culture. If you can call something that would cause you to have to go back into surgery, good. We are thankful however and praising the Lord that it is not a worse case senereo.. As I write this we have just been told they will be here in five minutes. Greater praise! I’ll let you know when it is over.